Who do you consider "legendary"

[crzyjournalist03]

There's definitely a difference between a "great" coach and a "legend", but the question is, where do you draw the line? The Belichick thread got me wondering who people consider legends.

These are just the top names that came to my mind when I thought about coaches that have been referred to as "legends" at one time or another.

[necks_c/09]

I posted:


Don shula
Tom Landry
Bill Belichick
Mike Ditka
Vince Lombardi

[crzyjournalist03]

does anyone have a site where you can compare coaches' all-time winning percentages? I've been searching but I'm not having any luck.

[District303aPastPlayer]

Vince, Don, and Tom

[gobbler grad]

abolutely...:clap:

[Darren]

Vince, Tom, Walsh, and Don

[crzyjournalist03]

I'm surprised that so far no "others" have been mentioned...I'd figure someone out there would say Chuck Noll, Bill Cowher, or George Halas.

[eagles_victory]

the word legendary is linked with older people so its kind of hard for me to consider someone who is still coaching legendary just bc the way my mind associates the word.

[Snydertigersrul]

Originally posted by crzyjournalist03
There's definitely a difference between a "great" coach and a "legend", but the question is, where do you draw the line? The Belichick thread got me wondering who people consider legends.

These are just the top names that came to my mind when I thought about coaches that have been referred to as "legends" at one time or another.


Where is Bear Bryant, Darrell Royal, Tom Osborne and Barry Switzer? I agree with Bill Walsh, Tom Landry and Don Shula.

[crzyjournalist03]

Originally posted by eagles_victory
the word legendary is linked with older people so its kind of hard for me to consider someone who is still coaching legendary just bc the way my mind associates the word.

I've always though of "legendary" as larger than life. Michael Jordan was a legend in my mind when he was still playing, Wayne Gretzky is a legend, etc. I think that legends generally have to have a sort of distinctive personality that carries on well beyond the years...almost to a point of overrating a person.

I voted for Ditka for that last reason. He's developed into a folk hero almost thanks in large part to his personality.

[Snydertigersrul]

Originally posted by Snydertigersrul
Where is Bear Bryant, Darrell Royal, Tom Osborne and Barry Switzer? I agree with Bill Walsh, Tom Landry and Don Shula.

I left out one coach, Vince Lombardi.

[crzyjournalist03]

Originally posted by Snydertigersrul
Where is Bear Bryant, Darrell Royal, Tom Osborne and Barry Switzer? I agree with Bill Walsh, Tom Landry and Don Shula.

Like I said, I included "others" because I just listed the first ones that my mind associated with the term "legend".

[crzyjournalist03]

also, I was meaning NFL head coaches, not necessarily including college records.

[eagles_victory]

i think their are more coaches that could be considered legendary in the college ranks but we should keep this one simply NFL to keep it from getting convuleted sp?

[Old Tiger]

Vince: Super Bowl trophy is named after him, come on!
Walsh: Innovated the west coast offense.
Landry: Invented the 4-3 defense!


Shula perhaps but i did not vote for him. He is more known for that undefeated season more than anything.

[crzyjournalist03]

Originally posted by Go Blue
Vince: Super Bowl trophy is named after him, come on!
Walsh: Innovated the west coast offense.
Landry: Invented the 4-3 defense!


Shula perhaps but i did not vote for him. He is more known for that undefeated season more than anything.

I thought the same thing about Shula, but when I started researching his numbers, Lombardi and Landry were the only two coaches that I found that had higher winning percentages, and he also leads the NFL in all-time number of victories as a head coach...pretty impressive and worth a good debate!

[piratebg]

Vince Lombardi
Bill Walsh
Don Shula
Tom Landry
Joe Gibbs

[Txbroadcaster]

Winning does not make someone in my mind legendary..innovation does

Landry for creating the 4-3( and why does that seems to never be brought up by the national media)..Also the use of computers by Dallas was a forerunner to how scouting is done now. plus reviving the shotgun, his creation of the Flex defense

Walsh for his creation of the West Coast as we know it now

Don Coryell..This guy has spawned more disciples of his Air Coryell offense than people realize.

Dick Labeau..His zone blitz creation changed the game and created new life for the 3-4 which wasa dying defense at the time.


People like Shula, Belicheck and others win, but I just dont see real innovation, or creation from them that will be used 15 years from now